Pistou Soup

As the nights begin to cool, I transition from entrée salads to soups for dinner. This is based on a hearty French vegetable soup that is flavored with pistou, the French version of pesto, both of which mean to pound. Pistou has tomatoes added to an otherwise pounded pesto.

8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

Soup

8 ounces dried cranberry beans or cannellini beans

1 kombu leaf (to remove the flatulence in beans)

½ teaspoon sea salt

1 ½ quart chicken broth

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 or 2 small leeks, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

2 carrots, peeled, medium diced

12 ounces wax beans or green beans, cut into  bite-sized pieces

2 potatoes, peeled, medium diced, about ¾ pounds

1 large or 2 small zucchini, medium diced

4 thyme sprigs tied together with 4 parsley stems

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Additional Parmigiano Reggiano, grated for garnish

Pistou

1 ½ cup packed fresh basil leaves

2 cloves garlic, peeled, minced

2 tablespoons pine nuts

1 Roma tomato halved globally, seeded, grated, then throw away peel

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup Parmigiano Reggiano, grated

DIRECTIONS:

For the beans: In a saucepan, pour boiling water over the dried beans and soak for thirty minutes.  Drain and add the kombu, salt,  and enough fresh filtered water to amply cover. Cook for about an hour, or until tender. Cooking time will vary due to the age of the dried beans. Drain and reserve.

 For the soup: In a large non-reactive Dutch oven, place the cooked beans, chicken broth, tomatoes in their juice, leek, carrots, wax beans, potatoes, zucchini, thyme, parsley, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for twenty minutes or until vegetables are tender. Taste, Think, Transform with salt and/or black pepper. Discard the thyme, parsley, and bay leaves. Ladle soup into warm bowls. Add a generous dollop of pistou in the center and Parmigiano to the top. Serve with a crusty whole-grain bread for sopping up every drop.

While the soup is cooking make the pistou: In a small saucepan of boiling water blanch the basil for thirty seconds. Drain, rinse with cold water, and squeeze dry. (This step will help retain the bright green color of the basil.) Pound the garlic and pine nuts with a mortar and pestle (or make in a small food processor). Add basil, tomato, and oil. Combine until smooth. Add the cheese.

Pistou Soup

Pistou Soup
Yield: 8 servings
Author:
Prep time: 25 MinCook time: 1 H & 20 MInactive time: 30 MinTotal time: 2 H & 15 M

As the nights begin to cool, I transition from entrée salads to soups for dinner. This is based on a hearty French vegetable soup that is flavored with pistou, the French version of pesto, both of which mean to pound. Pistou has tomatoes added to an otherwise pounded pesto.

Ingredients

Soup
  • 8 ounces dried cranberry beans or cannellini beans
  • 1 kombu leaf (to remove the flatulence in beans)
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 ½ quart chicken broth
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 or 2 small leeks, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
  • 2 carrots, peeled, medium diced
  • 12 ounces wax beans or green beans, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 2 potatoes, peeled, medium diced, about ¾ pounds
  • 1 large or 2 small zucchini, medium diced
  • 4 thyme sprigs tied together with 4 parsley stems
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • Additional Parmigiano Reggiano, grated for garnish
Pistou
  • 1 ½ cup packed fresh basil leaves
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled, minced
  • 2 tablespoons pine nuts
  • 1 Roma tomato halved globally, seeded, grated, then throw away peel
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup Parmigiano Reggiano, grated

Instructions

  1. For the beans: In a saucepan, pour boiling water over the dried beans and soak for thirty minutes. Drain and add the kombu, salt, and enough fresh filtered water to amply cover. Cook for about an hour, or until tender. Cooking time will vary due to the age of the dried beans. Drain and reserve.
  2. For the soup: In a large non-reactive Dutch oven, place the cooked beans, chicken broth, tomatoes in their juice, leek, carrots, wax beans, potatoes, zucchini, thyme, parsley, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for twenty minutes or until vegetables are tender. Taste, Think, Transform with salt and/or black pepper. Discard the thyme, parsley, and bay leaves. Ladle soup into warm bowls. Add a generous dollop of pistou in the center and Parmigiano to the top. Serve with a crusty whole-grain bread for sopping up every drop.
  3. While the soup is cooking make the pistou: In a small saucepan of boiling water blanch the basil for thirty seconds. Drain, rinse with cold water, and squeeze dry. (This step will help retain the bright green color of the basil.) Pound the garlic and pine nuts with a mortar and pestle (or make in a small food processor). Add basil, tomato, and oil. Combine until smooth. Add the cheese.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

302

Fat (grams)

11 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

2 g

Carbs (grams)

39 g

Fiber (grams)

9 g

Net carbs

30 g

Sugar (grams)

8 g

Protein (grams)

14 g

Sodium (milligrams)

1299 mg

Cholesterol (grams)

8 mg

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.

soup, pistou
soup
French
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @chefsharingthetable.com on instagram and hashtag it #pistousoup
Linda HierholzerSOUPSComment